Top ten ways to say no

Do you have difficulty saying no to people? Saying no can be challenging, especially when you don’t want to disappoint someone close to you.

Some of us are people pleasers and put other people’s needs ahead of our own. The thing is if you want to accomplish big things in your life you can’t live your life to accommodate other people’s agendas. You to need to make your life a priority and respect your own time and boundaries.

There are pests who refuse to take no for an answer and keep coming back and trying for a yes. It can be intimidating to say no to the person who asks if you are afraid of confrontation. What you can do is have a few great comebacks ready to say no, so you are prepared the next time you are asked to do something you don’t want to do.

Jack was working with Raoul on a university project. They planned to work remotely to get the project written up and finished. On the day they planned to work, Raoul did not respond to texts or phone calls until 10 p.m. He called Jack and started dictating what he needed to do on the project all night even though he had done nothing all day.

Jack knew that this was how Raoul rolled, and he had enough of doing all of the work on the project. When Raoul called that night, Jack had five ways to say no planned out and told him in that he was not going to do his work for him.

Here are a few fun ways to say no that should get your point across.

WANT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF?

Our FREE Starter Guide will show you the 3 simple steps you can take right now to stand up for yourself so that you can feel confident. It’s a game changer–get it free for a limited time!

I WANT IT!

Awesome ways to say no to someone

1. I can’t help you with that right now but thanks for asking.
2. No means no now let it go.
3. I am not sure if I can. I will get back to you.
4. I never do X on days that end in “Y.”
5. The answer is no, now please go.
6. I would rather stick needles in my eyes. Or your eyes.
7. What part of the word no do you not understand?
8. A yes would be the slow withering death of my soul.
9. No, I’m staying home to work on my cottage cheese sculpture.
10. I’d rather remove my own gallbladder with an oyster fork.

The role of counselling and self-care

I Should Have Said Media may earn a commission after clicking links on this page at no additional cost to you. Learn more.

When you are dealing with difficulty saying no to people and you find it stressful, consider getting support from a professional. Talking to a counselor is a great way to work through a challenging situation, and help you find some strategies to work through the person’s behaviour.

Better Help is a great resource where you can talk to a counselor from the comfort of your own home.

Taking care of your own needs isn’t selfish, and you will feel better in the long run.

More comebacks you might like

• Top ten comebacks for a know it all
• Top ten comebacks for smart ass teenagers
• Check out our top ten lists

Got any comments, questions or tips for saying no to somebody? Share them in the comments below.